Readers' comments

It's great to see that Elba Esther Gordillo might finally be brought down. Our education system has been a joke especilly since the start of the millenium. It got to the point that anybody was able to become a school teacher just to the teachers union would not spend at all.

It's quite naive for me to believe that there is such a conflict between Elba Esther Gordillo and Enrique Peña Nieto. She (& her Union) supported him 100% in the last "election". Today, the union controlled by Gordillo announced its position about the "reform" of the education system proposed by EPN's education minister. They (the SNTE) are agree and OK with it... really no surprise for me.

The only true renewal in the government of EPN is the desire and the compromise of his dinosaur cabinet to steal as much as they can; of course in their caracteristic authoritarian and virulent style, just as Peña Nieto itself.

As I said before: "Give the benefit of the doubt to the PRI (and EPN) is to deny it to the common sense".

Talent exists in every nation. However, a fertile soil
so that talent grows and creates technology does not
exist everywhere.

If Mexico continues with its anti-Anglo mindset,
pride over substance, and elitism (i.e. Televisa and
other monopolies), Mexico as a whole will lose.
Remember: any moron country like Brazil can export
commodities and shine for a brief season. A smart
country like Switzerland sells manufactured and
branded products to the world.

Which one Mexico wants to be?

I applaud President Pena Nieto for at least attacking
powerful interest groups in education and televison.
These two groups have held Mexico back while hoarding
resources and control for a 'palanca' few.

The new PRI like the old KMT from Taiwan share some
values. The old KMT created Hsinchu technology and
industrial park which propelled Taiwan to a higher
value in the global chain. Brands like Acer, Asus,
HTC are a direct result of that. Higher education
and wages followed. IMHO, the new PRI under Pena Nieto
should develop a Mexican version of Hsinchu. There
are talented Mexicans that could create a major global
presence for Mexico, and enhance the lives of Mexicans
in supporting industries, etc.

Mexico can be a $4 Trillion economy in a relatively
small amount of time. It is up to Mexico if it wants
to be like Switzerland or just like a certain moronic
country in South America.

The "Anglos" are who Spanish surnamed Latin Americas see as their hated historic rivals. And they are tremendously upset that their hated rivals have whipped them in every conceivanle way over the cventruieres. The ultimate insult for Hispanicks being having to pay their life savings ans risking their lives to make all-out desperate attempts to sneak into and force their way into the society created by their hated rivals. So Hispanicks come to the USA all proud and defiant, refuinsg to speak English, not being able to give their kids American names, waving foreign flags all over the USA, booing USA international sports teams, trying to force the Spanish language on the USA, refusing to acknowledge the English created the USA.....

Really?, and here I thought most migrants did that at first generation, and isn´t exactly uncommon to hear some US ppl, not all, being paranoid about migrants from all over the world, first it was the germans then Irish, then italians, others from western Europe, some from Asia, those because of their appareance even if they have lived for generations there, will be treated as "inmigrants" and now "hipanics" a word you made of symply because you just want to fear something when things go bad for you.

James:
I don´t know where do you get your information on “Mexico’s anti Anglo mindset”, I do acknowledge that some Mexicans are, but as we have become more open to travel and to free trade less and less so. So much so that scores of young people, after finishing high school, spend a semester or more abroad, Canada, Australia, England and even New Zealand are hot spots for them.
That is in the low level, but says something, at high level US/Mexican relation are at an old time high, so I don´t agree with you there.
As for elitism that you relate to monopolies, if Peña does knocks some of them he will get a point with me, oligopolies in TV, cement, Banking, Communications, Beer, Sodas, Cable TV, and monopolies on oil, electricity and so on , are robbing us blind and that should stop, for the well being of the middle class in particular and the whole economy, but while I like that at least Peña talks about it, I would hold any praise for when he does something noticeable, talk is cheap.
I’m not familiar with Hsinchu technology, But it is not as if we are technology starved, of curse much needs to improve, but may private schools and even some public ones are striving to improve hogher education, and teach new stuff, I just went to a graduation ceremony of ITESM in Queretaro, and I can tell you that half the degrees they presented, did not existed when I graduated from the Politécnico Nacional some years back.
Much needs to be done and improved of course, but we don´t need the PRI or a Messiah to get it done, lots of people are on it as we write, we need the Government to remove red tape and unfair advantages that is my take.
Saludos

Hey BentoBoy. I think that your exagerating. Mexicans compared to other folks (Arabs for example) love Anglo-americans. We copy everything from them, we receive them (as tourists and residents) with delight down here. Gringos and Hispanics will be always brothers. Our governments enjoy good diplomatic relations. USA does not see Mexico as a rouge state such as Rusia etc!

What a bunch of nonsense. The well being of Mexico and the rest of Spanish speaking Latin America depends 100% on the USA/Anglos, not on any "reforms". No other people in the entire world are as dependent on their survival on others as Spanish speaking Latin Americans depend on the USA/Anglos for survival. If the USA ever closes the door to Spanish speaking Latin America or if we move our manufacturing to Vietnam and the Philippines, Spanish speaking Latin Americans then die out as a people. No people have done more for the betterment of any other people in the world than the Anglos have done for the Spanish people. Yet the funny thing about that is, the USA/Anglos are the ONLY country in the world that has get get extra security when our international sports teams go to Spanish speaking Latin America to play.

I would use exactly the first phrase you used on the paragraph you tried to write. For that kind of response there's Yahoo news.

-Spanish people??
-FYI: In your ranting you missed out a small chunk of the continent, starts with a "B"...
-Anglos?
-What university did you go to??
-I guess more of a Sports Illustrated kind of person...

You must be referring to Brasil. I'm glad you brought that up. There was a reason why I always specifically say "Spanish speaking Latin Americans" instead of just "Latin Americans". And that is to not include the Portuguese descended people. Although geneticaly the same as the Spanish descended, the Portuguese descended love the USA. They do not hate the USA/Anglos as the Spanish descended do. Because Portugal and England were never rivals as the Spanish and English were. The Spanish descended are the loyal kids of the former big Spanish empire, and they vow to see the "Anglos" as their bitter, hated rivals who must be brought down from their perch as world leaders.

It must be painful to look at yourself in the mirror and feel how pathetic you are. You have to use history to give value to your life. This is not the 16th century, nationalism and racism are slowly fading. We now see people who take pride on their race and nationality as losers. I am sorry if without your race or nationality you are worthless.

Let's get the record straight: Brazilians are not, for de the most part, descended from the Portuguese. Americans are not, for the most part, descended from the English, and the only thing in common nowadays among Spanish-speaking nations is precisely that they speak Spanish. Immigration to the New World was a very, very VERY complicated matter. Your understanding of the world is that of a 5 year old.

I liked most of what I could see at economic matters,and prevention of violence in Pact for Mexico, but I can´t help but admit that making uniform judicial laws around all the states compromisses way too much the hability of local and statal congress to act and gives back much political leverage at federal goverment.

I understand the need to unify security forces to fight crime given organization of local, statal or federal police actually is extremely hard and it gets worse if we add the army, but I suppose this new gendarmery would act at remote locations or indigenous communities as well as cities, if that is the case, how can we be sure this gendarmery will not abuse its power? especially in those locations out of central cities and capitals that dont have the same means of cities for communication in a case of authority abuse? Who will watch the watchers?

The rest seem like good reforms for me. Education I think still needs some work, the syndicates by themselves aren´t the sole reason why education is getting behind. bad communication and management between goverment and secretariats of education had much to do about it too. In some cases, too much bureaucracy gets in the way.

The article implies that spending promises are not mirrored by commitments to raise the necessary revenue. A careful reading of the “Pact for Mexico” is enough to find some of that money. Among other things, a pledge that wealthy people will stop receiving government subsidies. That would mean, among other actions, to eliminate the gasoline (petrol) subsidy, in recent years equivalent to 1-2 percent of GDP. Just eliminating the subsidy would also wipe out the small fiscal deficit the government currently has. The article also fails to mention a key pledge of Pena Nieto’s inauguration speech: a fiscal deficit of zero in 2013. Whether that will be fulfilled, will be clear quite soon (tomorrow, in fact). Pena Nieto has shown much more substance after a week in office than what Vicente Fox (his precedessor but one and who ousted the PRI from federal power) managed in years.

Saying that "mask youth smashed windows..etc.." Is oversimplifying, there are 67 people detained with no evidence that they were the ones causing disturbs, students, teachers, people who happened to be at that moment. Where the local police caught in the heat of the moment, failed to distinguish between those causing trouble and those who were simply exercising their right to protest against an imposed president who bought its place as the main leader of Mexico. Do not be mistaken by the mainstream media, by those who try to minimize the voices of the people of Mexico. The PRI is back, but the people of MExico today (those who are informed and aware) are tired of being depicted by so called "journalists", and media as the trouble maker minority that just wants to revolt for no particular reason. Tired of being disregarded and unheard, and oppressed by the state, by the police, by the media, by rich politicians that can buy their way to a position of power. The difference from the country that the PRI party used to rule and the country they are ruling today is that we have our eyes open, we have social media, we have instant communication to show the photograph of the police shooting at an old man or at the young student who lost his eye last saturday December 1st. We now know, and can let other know the truth. Many had risk their lives for that one goal (exposing the truth) and many will continue to do so. So this time, I hope the PRI party understands that citizens are watching and above all are speaking their minds.

Who governs Mexico City? PRD. Whose police was it? Mexico City police, ergo, PRD. Nothing to do with PRI.

Lopez Obrador held a pacific protest at El Angel. Nobody got arrested there. Maybe innocent bystanders got arrested because they where too close to the vandals; that´s up to the courts to sort out. But that has NOTHING to do with the PRI, or Peña Nieto. So I suggest you hone your critical thinking, and start working on attacks against the PRI´s policies, actions, and results, and stop whining about what the Mexico City police did.

The problem is precisely that some always want others to "stop whining" or expressing their point of view.
So, then the abuses of the police force in Atenco when Enrique Pena Nieto was the governor of the State,make the PRI party responsible for all the human rights violations? ( abiding by your logic of course...) Look, what is clear is that people gathered that day to protest and show their inconformity with the new president and the return of the PRI party. And in any democracy the right to peacefully show your support (or lack of it) to the political leader is essential. Yes, there were some violent protesters , but they were few and one has to "be critical" and think why there are today more than 60 people detained (after 5 days) without any proof of being involved in the acts of vandalism? Why did the police force reacted so violently towards the people they are supposed to protect? Who happened to be in a position of power at that moment? and why is it that in the main media you hear the stories of violent protesters but not of the innocents who are dragged or misrepresented? Is it to show the rest of the people why they deserve to be in jail , or to justify the use of violence by the police? And don't try to make this another PRI versus PRD discourse, it isn't about that, it is about the citizens and their rights, not the political circus!

Oh, you most certainly express your point of view; that´s not whining.
A common pattern of protesters is to provoke a reaction from the police, and then complain that they are being "politically repressed" when they get gassed and beaten up.
The fact of the matter is, in Mexico you can do all the PEACEFUL protests you want, and nothing will happen to you; that´s quite evident from all the "marchas" in Mexico City and elsewhere. But break open the molotovs, and you ARE gonna get gassed, beaten, and arrested. And that holds true in Mexico or any other country in the world. And the police will never buy your "I was just passing by" argument. So next time you are in a protest and you see some guys doing this, I recommend you walk away:http://noticias.starmedia.com/imagenes/2012/12/protestas-mexico-toma-pos...
So, if you would like to debate any of the points of Peña Nieto´s plan, fire away. If you are going to keep whining about "innocents" being arrested, you and I are done.

PauSat, from the way you express yourself, it sounds like you would had been protesting that day if given the chance. So, as a potential protester, let me ask you something: What are you really trying to accomplish by repeating, on the streets or otherwise, this subjective mantra of state oppression and greedy elites?
Months ago, I wrote a lengthy comment on the issue of Peña Nieto being poised to get elected on July: I was enraged! I argued that the PRI was above corrupt and a bunch of cleptomaniacs. You can read it on my profile, I don't comment much.
But let me tell you that the moment he got elected, I never believed a bit of that nonsense of election buying. There simply was no evidence, plus it was hellishly dificult to do so in the first place; elections are very well protected against fraud. Was there SOME illegal vote buying around? Well yes, and all parties are to blame. One can even argue that in most (developed even) countries this is commonplace. But all in all, I believe the results reflected voting intentions.
These are institutional and pragmatic times, chica. I still denounce Peña Nieto & Co. as backwards politicians. For one, I hated that "Gobierno Federal" is now "Gobierno de la República". Things like the National Gerdarmerie, Gobernación taking over the Federal Police and a unified penal code give me the creeps; it announces centralist impulses by Peña. Look, I'm form Toluca, I -personally- know, for instance, that the new deputy interior minister's (Luis Miranda) favourite passtime is stealing (and he's been in Peña's circle for some years now).
HOWEVER, I really like what I see in terms of Economic policy. The new government steps in in times of fat cows, and there are some very capable fellows in charge of Economic matters. Politically, nobody does it like the PRI to get consensus, lobbying and other political acrobatics done, so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt to the new "Mr. President" and I'm mildly optimistic about the future.
It's OK to point out fishy happenings, just don't jump in the bandwagon of "speaking out from the heart" and "denouncing the imposition" without factual info because that's just a time consuming and nerve wrecking habit. Cheers!

".. just don't jump in the bandwagon of "speaking out from the heart" and "denouncing the imposition" without factual info because that's just a time consuming and nerve wrecking habit. "

You are just doing it anyway. Evidence or not of the fraud 2012, that seems to be a matter of 'point of view' so I won't go in that argument with you as clearly seems to be just an enormous WASTE OF TIME!

I keep getting disappointed every day by blind conformist mexican people. Dommage!

Oui, quel dommage... How am I a conformist? I mentioned I'm mildly optimistic, not satisfied. I said I support Peña's economic programme, because I believe in it. I'm an economic liberal, so sue me. I also said that I do consider the PRIistas to be corrupt to the bone and authoritarian (let's vote them out next election, shall we?). Hey, what a prejudice to think it's a waste of time to discuss things with me, it breaks my heart... I'll just say "the fraud 2012" is something that has been settled in court, so no subjective points of view here. If we don't trust our institutios, then we're toast.

Why mention my abuelita? That's the way I speak, and no one ever took ofense. So take care chica.

Either you vote them or not, they will find the way to sit in the big chair, as we just saw it... Enough I had of big liberal brains with little space for ethics like yours... so forget any kind of discussion about the Fraud 2012.... not anymore with any pseudo 'laissez-faire open minded' mexican.

México deserves much more than what ' the small & controlled Peña's brain' can ever dream, just because he is such an ignorant. Unfortunately, the most of the people in that country had already bought the Televisa's fairytale with the two first character muppets. So sorry for you México.

Maybe the Economy will be 'plus et moins' next years, but the urgent social investment that was required, the dignity and the sovereignty that México keeps yelling for during ages, will have to wait and probably will never come....thanks to the people, thanks to mexicans who are already resigned to live in a second-class country. Voilà!

If you have evidence of your so called fraud,please show it. Because as things stand now, you could be calling it a fraud any result than you dont like, until the one you want to win, wins. And that, isnt democracy either, that is just more of the same from a partidist person with a capricious actitude on top of it.

Well, I dont know if you have bothered to understand how things are, but Peña hardly will be alone, that´s why every president presents his team. Everything Peña proposes will pass across congress in which PRD is now second political force. And after that, even if he tried to change the constitution, that would have to cross statal congress. So Peña and his "small brain" will not be exactly alone. Our Job now will be seeing what is done, what isn´t done and suggesting or demanding what could be done better but for doing that we first need to know how things really are, not just assuming automathically that everyone else is wrong anyway so why bother.

I love the actitude here, "Mexicans can´t for the live of them think for themselves like I do, or see what I see" Did you know that most dictatorships begin with that way of thinking, by assuming everyone else doesn´t know better? it doesn´t matter if they decided based on their own experiences, what they perceived from Politicians, some knowing them from a longer time, or what they thought should be done,or that they maybe didn´t see either candidate as worthy of having the presidency, for you they didn´t decided like you would have liked them to, so now they are completely wrong. pff, cry me a river.

The Economist of course, is an economical analysis magazine, and right now, Mexico has a good economic time ,which in part is thanks to decisions that were taken three years ago. All countries have good and bad economic times systematically but not a the same time, and those can be make better or worse depending of each country handle of its economy. Also, the Economist isn´t exactly shy of criticizing political systems around the world either, I dont see where you get your gloom and die actitude because of Mexico getting a not so bad economic news for once.

Thanks for your Economic, Political and Social Mexican Class all at once. But I don't need it! As it seems that I know México better than you and I seem to be more interested on it! I you were, you would look for the truth and certainly you would find the thousand proofs of the fraud. They are all out there, available and exposed FYI! The fact that you are blind and try to protect yourself from reality its actually one of the big problems of México, as everybody is 'busy' just believing the 'official' version given by the government and widely spread by the Media.

The day that México starts to be productively independent and sovereign first of all with its own national products such as: corn, gold, oil, and so on, and starts to reconstruct the social tissue, so damaged in the last 6 years. That day I'll start believing in the country again. Before NOT, as people keeps being in denial or indifference (just like you), they will be part of the problem NOT of the solution.

So, keep dreaming, and believing all the media you find around, sorry to break your heart, but they are just lying to you over and over again.

Thanks for your Economic, Political and Social Mexican Class all at once. But I don't need it! As it seems that I know México better than you and I seem to be more interested on it! I you were, you would look for the truth and certainly you would find the thousand proofs of the fraud. They are all out there, available and exposed FYI! The fact that you are blind and try to protect yourself from reality its actually one of the big problems of México, as everybody is 'busy' just believing the 'official' version given by the government and widely spread by the Media.

The day that México starts to be productively independent and sovereign first of all with its own national products such as: corn, gold, oil, and so on, and starts to reconstruct the social tissue, so damaged in the last 6 years. That day I'll start believing in the country again. Before NOT, as people keeps being in denial or indifference (just like you), they will be part of the problem NOT of the solution.

So, keep dreaming, and believing all the media you find around, sorry to break your heart, but they are just lying to you over and over again.

See, I am not speaking lightly, this year I got interested and go out with 132 group, only to find it hipocriticaly as partidist as any little "left" group in favor of Obrador. I tried to participate on its forums but it was pretty clear exteme left "students" were really in charge, leaving the others just to get out or follow them meekly.

Obrador made a deal with "Manuel Bartlett" of all ppl to get more ppl on his side even over Cardenas disgust, you know this guy who funded PRD, over this, If you dont get why, I suggest you study Mexican electoral history 1988 and see why,very ironic that the one who keeps crying fraud mades a deal with the one person obviously guilty of this at least once.

Obrador has been accused by neigbours from Iztapalapa, Mexico city, of using resources from there to fund his campaing, this neighborhood is one of the poorest in Mexico city. This I found out in 132 forums, but of course, no attention was put on this.

Obrador actually imposed himself on PRD, PRD wanted to put Ebrard as their candidate, but Obrador using the other left leaning partys, argued that if they put Ebrad he would compite either way and absorb votes from Ebrad to himself and then neither one would win, Why do you think PRD got rather happy Obrador decided to get on his own way? Because he got the party fragmented.

You can accuse me of being "brainwashed" all you want but I know this because I took the time to ask and inform myself, not because of just listening to the loudness of mesianic politicians,and certainly not because of me just being "indiferent" or "ignorant", easy adjectives to make by the ones who dont have arguments.

With all this, I dont think the other candidates were that much better, what I am trying to said is that I dont see either party that different on pratice, they have very similar defects if different methods.

Also, to be frank, from all the parties I personally prefer to vote for either PAN or PRI than for PRD as it´s now, because today PRD is a fragmented party that isn´t even capable of supporting their own president of party, how in heaven could they organize a country under those conditions? they argue they have yet to get a chance at goverment, but instead of proposing reforms or ideas they just scream foul and get angry. Mind you, not all but enough to make the party really unstable. I see that Amlo´s left did to PRD in Mexico was what the tea party did to the Republicans in US, make the party too extreme to be eligible for vote.

I would rather we Mexicans begin to be less partidist and ideological personally, and begin to be seeing things as they are, both the good and the bad. is as much a falacy to say everything is bad as saying everything is good. We will only get better with a more realist perspective instead of an ideological and easy to manipulate one.

I suppose you will keep insulting me, but that is fine, I said my piece and will leave you to your bussines. I will keep on with mine.

Just one more thing, I voted PAN this year because I genuinely saw this as a good option not because someone brainwashed me. I understood JVM isn´t a really experienced politican but seemed to me the most honest on her intentions, but I dont blame media or PRD or PRI from her loss, because I know the PAN internal crisis affected her campaing and while she was my candidate I can agree with the ones who said her campaing had many flaws.

But really, those are themes from electoral times, my pov now is that we really should stop seeing party´s colors because ppl inside them are different between themselves as citizens are, I think is a grave error on us citizens, part to think all parties have the same ppl who think the same thing all the time, as if they were colectively and unity instead of individuals who happen to agree on some ideologies,some are more efficient others not so much, ones are honest, others not, some caring others not. And this differences aren´t just especific of one party but of all of them, to think otherwise would make them no-human and that is madness.

Now, if you rather would like to talk economic idology I go more for social democracy. At its beggining PAN was a social democracy party with traditional values but changed some of its beliefs after 2000. So now I feel I need to have a more profound understanding of candidates because partys as they are idologicaly, dont really represent what I would like to see even if all agree on the central problems Mexico must deal with. I can agree with PRD on many things but I sometimes get in conflict with them because I am catolic, but this doesn´t stop me from commend their good social strategies, and I rather admire PRI´s capacity for negotiation and compromise between opposing partys even if I hate all the bagage they carry around both past and present. That´s why I now look for results, honesty and long time plans, not just ideology.